Traditions

The Bronze Boot

The Cowboys celebrate with The Bronze Boot following UW's 44-0 win over CSU on Nov. 20, 2010.

The annual Wyoming-Colorado State football game has evolved into one of the most bitterly contested rivalries in college football. The teams have waged the "Border War" ninety-seven times since the schools began playing in 1899, playing every year except 1901, 1902, 1906, 1907, 1918, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1943, 1944, and 1945. In fact, this is one of the oldest interstate rivalries west of the Mississippi River. The series is the oldest rivalry for both schools and the "Border War" has been played in three different centuries.

In 1968, the ROTC detachments of the respective schools initiated the Bronze Boot, a traveling trophy awarded to the winner of the contest each year. The Boot was originally worn in Vietnam by CSU ROTC instructor Dan J. Romero.

Each year leading up to the Wyoming-Colorado State game, the game ball is carried on foot in a shuttle relay by the ROTC detachment of the visiting team to the Wyoming-Colorado state border, where the home team's ROTC detachment receives it and runs the game ball to the stadium hosting the game.

The boot has rested in the UW Athletics Dept. in 22 of the 43 years since its inception. The Bronze Boot has become one of the most famous traveling trophies in college football.